Hong Kong Crypto Exchange Bitspark Shuts Down Amid Coronavirus Outbreak and Protests

Crypto exchange service provider Bitspark is shutting down next month despite reporting exponential growth following the launch of its cash point product. The CEO of the company explained that its internal restructuring has not worked out but insisted that the ongoing protests in Hong Kong and coronavirus outbreak have not affected his platform much. Also … Read more

Indian State Government’s ‘Blockchain District’ Now Has a Dedicated Accelerator for Blockchain Startups

The Indian state of Telangana has launched a blockchain accelerator in its recently created Blockchain District, in collaboration with Tech Mahindra. Selected startups will pitch innovative ideas and get mentored by experts from the Telangana government, Tech Mahindra, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, and IIIT Hyderabad. Also … Read more

US Government Auctioning off Bitcoins Worth $37 Million in 2 Weeks

The U.S. government has opened registration for the bidding of over 4,040 bitcoins, currently worth more than $37 million, which will be auctioned off on Feb. 18. The winning bidder will be notified on the same day. These bitcoins were forfeited in various federal criminal, civil and administrative cases, the U.S. Marshals Service explained. Also … Read more

Government Think Tank Niti Aayog Identifies Key Blockchain Use Cases for India

The policy think tank for the government of India, Niti Aayog, has published a strategy document identifying a number of key areas blockchain technology can significantly benefit the country. “By empowering citizens through features of transparency, decentralization and accountability, blockchain would help in improving ease of living,” explained Niti Aayog. Also read: Regulatory Roundup — … Read more

Cambodia Announces Own Cryptocurrency as More Details Surface About China’s Digital Yuan

With China still in the lead, other countries are advancing their projects to develop payment systems around central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Cambodia, for example, has recently revealed it will mint its own coin within months. The news comes as more details about the digital Chinese yuan indicate its main purpose will be to substitute … Read more

41 German Banks Now Charge Negative Interest Rates

The number of German banks charging negative interest rates has been rising rapidly. At least 41 banks now charge negative interest rates on deposits. According to reports, seven of them are imposing negative interest rates even for small deposit amounts. Also read: Survey: 58% of German Banks Charge Negative Interest Rates 41 Banks Charging Negative … Read more

IRS Explains What Crypto Owners Must Know to File Taxes This Year

Kicking off this year’s tax filing season, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has published important tips for crypto owners to properly file their tax returns. This is the first time a cryptocurrency question has been included in the tax form. The IRS expects more than 150 million filers to reveal whether they acquired or … Read more

US Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang Says Regulations Cannot Impede Crypto, Affirms Priorities

Andrew Yang, who is running for U.S. president in the 2020 election, has explained what his priorities will be regarding cryptocurrency under his administration. He said that crypto investors are finding a way to make use of their investments and regulations cannot impede it. Yang advocates for a uniform, nationwide set of crypto regulations so … Read more

Google Executive From India Joins Coinbase as Chief Product Officer

A Google executive from India has joined Coinbase as the new chief product officer after 11 years at Google. He aims to help Coinbase make cryptocurrency mainstream. “I am excited about what crypto and blockchain technology can do to democratize our financial systems,” the executive said, citing his experience growing up in India and the … Read more

Swiss Resort Town Zermatt Accepts Bitcoin for Government Services

Zermatt, a municipality in Switzerland at the foot of the Matterhorn known for its ski resort, has started accepting bitcoin for government services. The Zermatt town hall now has a point-of-sale solution, installed by Zug-based Bitcoin Suisse, to accept the cryptocurrency. A spokesperson for the municipality has shared more details with news.Bitcoin.com. Also read: Dubai … Read more